Yoenis Cespedes is a Cuban national who plays in the Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets as an outfielder. Since he debuted in the MLB in 2012, he has gone on to become one of the top outfielders and players in the sport. Cespedes who majorly is a left outfielder has adapted to the flexible nature of the MLB, and thus regularly plays as a centre outfielder. Yoenis Cespedes biography facts, childhood, net worth and personal life present the profile of a two-time All-star with incredible batting skills, yet to claim a World series.

Yoenis Cespedes Childhood Story & Early Life

Born on October 18, 1985, Yoenis Céspedes is one of two children born to Estela Milanés and Cresencio Céspedes, in Cuba. When he was just one year old, his parents separated. It was easy for young Céspedes to venture into sports as his mother was an athlete who played softball pitching and represented Cuba in the 2000 Olympics. His father also played baseball in the Cuban league.

Apparently, Céspedes had already cultivated an interest in baseball from a tender age, and this was the reason why his mother enrolled him in a government school, where he played baseball. Following high school, it’s unclear if Céspedes went on to college. But we do know, he went on to play in the Cuban League for eight seasons.

Yoenis Cespedes Cuban League Career

In the 2003/04 season, Céspedes began playing in the Cuban National Series for Alazanes de Granma, a Cuban baseball team. In his first season, Céspedes who was tipped as a favourite for the Series Rookie of the Year award had a batting average of .302. He, however, did not win the award. The following season, his batting average increased to .313. In the 2005/06 season, Céspedes played in 88 games and had 23 home runs with .351 batting average.

Following a wonderful season, where he placed fourth in slugging percentage with .649, he played in the 2006 Haarlem Baseball Week where he recorded a batting average of .481 and a slugging percentage of .741. In the 2006/07 season, he played in 89 games, and recorded 17 home runs, with a batting average of .303, and a slugging percentage of .541, which tied him for sixth in the league. He then went on to play for the first time for the Cuban National Team at the Pan-American Games in 2007. He continued in top form in the 2007/08 season.

At the World Baseball Classic in 2009, he registered 2 home runs and a batting average of .458. After the 2008/09 season, he featured for the Cuban side in the 2009 Baseball World Cup, where they won Silver. In the 2009/10 season, despite an impressive performance, he didn’t make it to the All-star list. At the World University Baseball Championship in 2010, where the Cuban side clinched Gold, he was named to the All-star team in the outfield position. They also went on to claim Gold at the Intercontinental Cup that year.

In his last season in the National Series, he recorded 89 runs, the highest in the league and 33 home runs, the highest in the league. At the end of the season, he was named as a centre fielder in All-Star team.

Yoenis Cespedes MLB Career & Achievements

In 2011, Céspedes took a 23-hour ride on a speedboat to the Dominican Republic where he met an agent, who helped him evade the MLB draft and made him a free agent. There was a lot of hype around Céspedes who was an unrestricted free agent as he set to sign with one of the top teams in the MLB.

Oakland Athletics (2012–2014)

In February 2012, Céspedes signed a four-year deal with the Oakland Athletics worth $36 million. He began his season with the Oakland Athletics by playing in the centre field position but was switched to the left-field position. In March 2012, he debuted in the MLB and scored his first home run that month. He finished his debut season in the MLB with a batting average of .316.

In the 2013 season, Céspedes played in the Home Run Derby, which he won by defeating Bryce Harper. He suffered several injuries which didn’t allow him to play much in the season. In the 2014 season, he earned an All-Star selection for the first time in his career. He also won the Home Run Derby for the second consecutive time, making him the first player to achieve the feat since 1999.

Boston Red Sox (2014)

In July 2014, Céspedes was traded to the Boston Red Sox. During the period he played for the Red Sox in the 2014 season, he played in 51 games and recorded a batting average of .269 with 5 home runs. At the end of the season, he had a total of 22 home runs and a batting average of .260.

Detroit Tigers (2015)

In December 2014, Céspedes was traded to the Detroit Tigers. In April 2015, he debuted for the Tigers. Since he was not an All-Star, he could not defend his Home Run Derby title. He played in 99 games and was awarded the Rawlings Gold Glove Award in the American League, often given to players with top fielding skills.

New York Mets (2015–date)

In July 2015, Céspedes was traded to the New York Mets. In his first season with the Mets, he helped the Mets lead the Washington Nationals in games. As a result, he was awarded the National League Player of the Week in the second week of September 2015. After defeating the Chicago Cubs to win the National League Championship Series, they went on to the World Series, where they lost. At the end of the 2015 season, Céspedes became a free agent.

In January 2016, he signed a three-year deal with the New York Mets, worth $75 million. That season, Céspedes was set to play in the MLB All-Star Game but was removed as a result of an injury. Following his removal and addition to the disabled list, he went golfing, an action which was widely criticised. In November 2016, he opted out of the contract he signed with the Mets in January 2016. He then signed a four-year deal with the Mets worth $110 million. The new deal included a no-trade clause.

He continued in good form through the season, until he sustained a hamstring injury in August which ruled him out of action. He played in 81 games and recorded 17 home runs and a batting average of .292. After featuring in just 38 games for the Mets, he had to undergo surgery in his heel. He was scheduled to be out of action for a max period of 10 months. In May 2019, after he suffered a right ankle fracture, he was ruled out of action for the 2019 season.

Yoenis Cespedes Net Worth, Salary and Endorsement

Céspedes has a net worth valued at $30 million. In 2019, he received $29 million in salary. Céspedes has endorsement deals with New Balance, Panini, Franklin Sports and Wilson Sporting Goods.

Yoenis Cespedes Personal Life

Céspedes has a child, Yoenis Céspedes, Jr. He has not seen his child since he left Cuba. He communicates with his child via phone calls.

His half brother, Yoelkis Céspedes Maceo, is also a baseball player, who plays in the Cuban National Series, for Granma.

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